Caption: Howard Coffin (1873-1937). Historical image of the American automobile pioneer Howard Earle Coffin. Coffin is known as the 'Father of Standardisation' due to his efforts in standardising material and design specifications and arranging for automobile manufacturers to share their patents, which enabled the American automobile industry to grow quickly. In 1902 he was chief experimental officer at the Oldsmobile Company and by 1905 was their chief engineer. Later he worked for the E. R. ThomasâDetroit Motor Car Company, the ChalmersâDetroit Motor Company, and the Hudson Motor Car Company, serving as vice president and chief engineer of each and designing many of their early models. Photographed in 1917.